A Veteran Spiritual Guide Invites Us to Step Outside

Her New Book Shares Her Wisdom in Word and Audio

After nearly two years of pandemic, simply opening the door to the outside world and gathering with others may seem like a daring step.

So, this week’s Cover Story presentation is actually three stories about three women who are doing just that.

ROCHELLE CALVERT LEADS US INTO NATURE: First, read about the work of Rochelle Calvert, a psychologist and spiritual guide who now is sharing a lifetime of wisdom in her new book, Healing with Nature. For years, Rochelle Calvert had been leading groups of pilgrims into spiritual encounters with the natural world, then her own plans for gatherings were hit by COVID concerns. Now, she is inviting all of us to get a taste of these adventures through her new book. Rochelle also is planning new outdoor retreats and this story includes information about how to connect with her website and programs—plus, some free audio meditations she is offering as well.

EMILY BROWN IN THE MOUNTAINS: On the same theme of healing with nature—what a treat we are offering to our readers this week! Here is the first story from our newest contributing columnist, Emily Brown, a Creative Writing student at the University of Michigan who will be sending us occasional true stories from her adventures both in travel and in discovering the lives of the diverse people she meets. We call this first column: I Turned to Face the Mountain.

LUCILLE SIDER’S HEALING MEDITATIONS: In her second column about finding spiritual resilience in the midst of trauma, pastoral counselor and author Lucille Sider writes about the importance of friendship, of interacting with the natural world—and of trusting that (in the words of Julian of Norwich) “all manner of things shall be well.

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Bill Tammeus:

At the heart of the national conversation …

AUTHOR BILL TAMMEUS is at the heart of the national conversation on 9/11’s legacy with a nationwide Bible-study discussion guide and also a Sunday sermon that will stream online on September 5. In this Front Edge Publishing news story, we have a free-of-charge link to Bill’s Wired Word Bible-study discussion guide. The staff at Wired Word kindly agreed to offer Bill’s work free of charge, because of the importance of spreading this message. Then, this column also has a link to stream Bill’s Sunday morning sermon on this theme on September 5.

Henry Brinton:

‘Standing Together’

PASTOR and AUTHOR HENRY BRINTON offers what could be a model sermon for Sunday, September 5, 2021, services. All too often, Henry points out, Americans claim we are “standing together,” when—in fact—we are isolating and endangering others. Henry draws on wisdom from the prophet Isaiah, a sacred figure in Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions.

Victor Begg:

‘Meet Our Neighbors’

MUSLIM AUTHOR and PEACEMAKER VICTOR BEGG published his 9/11-themed appeal via Gannett newspapers through the TCPalm news website, which serves his region of Florida. His headline is: Expand circles, meet neighbors to end destructive divisiveness in United States. There also is a gripping and inspiring account of 9/11 and its aftermath in Victor’s memoir, Our Muslim Neighbors: Achieving the American Dream, An Immigrant’s Memoir.

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Holidays & Festivals

Paryushan Parva

JAIN families around the world renew the core tenets of their tradition in this annual period of religious reflection and fasting. This might be a good opportunity to talk with a friend, neighbor or colleague who is Jain, wishing them well and asking them about this special time of year. Stephanie Fenton has the story.

Krishna Janmashtami

KRISHNA is one of the most popular and revered of Indian deities, so the festival honoring his birth sometimes last a full week, depending on community customs. When this annual milestone rolls around, observances vary widely around the world—including the visually spectacular human towers of young people vying to reach a suspended pot of buttermilk. Stephanie Fenton has the story for us.

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WANT TO SEE ALL THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS?—It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just visit  InterfaithHolidays.com

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with discussion guides to films. This resource is used coast-to-coast by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Among Ed’s free reviews and columns:

1. CODA—This 2021 American coming-of-age comedy-drama follows a hearing teenage girl who is a child of deaf adults (CODA for short). The movie is a remake of a French film and currently has a 96 percent approval rating from film critics—including Ed McNulty in his review.
2. THE GOSPEL OF LUKE—Ed writes, “This Lumo Project film is the last of the four filmed gospels directed by the prolific director/producer David Batty. It is a wonderful addition to any pastor or educator’s video library, bringing to life the words either of the KJV or the NIV translations of the Bible—viewer’s choice. British actor Richard E. Grant reads the NIV text; Sir Derek Jacobi the KJV.”
3. VIVO—”Move over Pixar and make room for this toe-tapping musical from Sony Pictures Animation studio. The fact that Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the songs and voices the main character ought to attract a large audience.”
4. OPHELIA—”Australian director Claire McCarthy gives us love story based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. We need to add that the script by Semi Chellas is based on Lisa Klein’s 2006 young adult novel of the same title.”
5. MINARI—Ed also writes, this week, about the Oscar-winning drama about an immigrant family carving out a new life in rural America.
6. PRAY AWAY—Ed reviews Kristine Stolakis’ documentary film about evangelical “conversion therapy.”
7. LUPIN—”The French writer George Kay has created a truly thrilling escapist adventure series with more than a touch of social commentary. He has taken a classic series of French novels revolving around Arsène Lupin as a “Gentleman Thief” and transferred them to a modern day outsider.”
8. EROICA—Ed McNulty reaches back to 2003 for a wonderful film about the arts, Eroica. In short, it’s a carefully reconstructed drama about Beethoven debuting the piece that people at the time considered a milestone in music history—a unique delight in moviemaking.
9. AN AMERICAN RHAPSODY—“Written and directed by Eva Gardos, this film is based on the filmmaker’s own experience as a young immigrant Hungary.”
10. STREET FLOW—”Writer/co-director/star Kery James’ film is set in France, the story of three brothers of African descent who live in one of the huge projects just outside of Paris.”
11. JOE BELL—Ed recommends this film, “based on a true story,” written by the same team that contributed to the 2005 film, Brokeback Mountain, a writing partnership that included the late novelist Larry McMurtry.

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